Senate GOP Digs In On Rent Control

ICYMI: Appearing on CapTon last night, Sen. George Maziarz threw additional cold water on the suggestion that his conference might be willing to link the property tax cap Gov. Andrew Cuomo is seeking with extension of the rent control laws in hopes of getting the Assembly Democrats on board.

“…I can tell you: We are pretty firm on rent control. I am pretty firm on rent control. I’m not in favor of extending rent control. I never say I’m going to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on a bill before I have read it. But, I’m not in favor of rent control.”

Ironically, Maziarz had just come from a bill signing ceremony in North Tonawanda at which the governor put pen to paper on Recharge New York and spoke of the bipartisan effort that went into getting it passed as part of the budget earlier this month.

Maziarz noted that the final budget deal included very little in the way of non-germane policy riders – including, much to the chagrin of both business interests, the Assembly Democrats and housing advocates, both rent control and the tax cap.

According to the senator, it was Cuomo himself who pushed to include the Recharge New York program in the budget – even going so far as to personally involve himself in negotiations.